Emmanuel says corruption can be eradicated by restoring core societal values
Francesca Emmanuel, the Vice Chairperson of Macmillan Nigeria Publishers Ltd., has advised that the problem of corruption be addressed to restore the core values of the Nigerian society.
Emmanuel, who said this in Lagos, added that corruption had its roots in poor parenthood, poor mentorship, poor education, poor tutelage, as well as poor communal relationship.
“Core cultural values have been relegated, such that the young ones become victims lacking in direction, discretion, courage and the will to conquer. We believe that civilised principles of culture should be the foundation upon which the lives of young people should be built,” she said.
According to Emmanuel, in order to right these wrongs and attain developmental goals, there should be mentoring of the children through creativity, arts and culture.
“We must, therefore, break these barriers, restore the fast declining core values in our society and embrace change so that our country can be better,” she said.
“That is why we annually hold ‘Yoruba Cultural Day’ which we now transformed to ‘Children Cultural Day’, to effect change in all children in our society. We are using the children’s creative presentations to demonstrate the barriers to youth employment resulting from lackadaisical attitude toward principles, ethics, norms and morals.”
Emmanuel added that Nigeria’s cherished values should be meaningfully incorporated and taught in institutions of learning.
She also said subjects and courses on values must be fully entrenched and made compulsory at all levels of education, to free school graduates from the shackles of unemployment.
“If values are duly appreciated, taught at home, reinforced in schools, preached at religious centres, advocated by civil societies, executed in work places and in public offices, imagine how great our nation will be. Our country will be held in high esteem. Our country will excel in the comity of nations and the cause of Nigeria will be advanced, as a nation where right prevails over wrong and where virtues prevail over vices,” she said.
Since 2002, Macmillan Nigeria Publishers Ltd., has been championing the cause of youth development through activities such as The Macmillan Youth Literary Day and The Macmillan Children Cultural Day.
The programmes provide an avenue for the promotion of reading culture and the scrutiny of societal trends as they affect young people.
The programmes also create a capacity building platform for the youths.
